Improvement in hand-cars



G. G. KEER.

Hand-Gar.

No. 210,332.v Patented Nov. 26, 18.78..A

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE- CHRISTOPHER o. HERR, or SPRINGFIELD,MISSOURI, AssIeNoR To HIMSELF, J. EOHELRERRY, J. N. MILLER, J. w.MGOULLOH, M. EOHELRERRY, AND

R. S. WADDELL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lIN HAN D-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,332, dat-edNovember 26, 1878; application filed August 29, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER C. KEER, ofthe city of Springfield, in the count-y of Greene, and State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Gars 5 and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form partof this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof devices for operating a hand-car by the weight of the person usingthe same, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In Order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Figure l is a perspective view of a hand-car embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detailedview of a part thereof.

A represents the frame of my hand-car, provided with the axles B B,having wheels C G on their ends in the usual manner.

The frame or platform A has three longitudinal beams,fE, inserted orframed into it near the center, which beams form two longitudinalopenings in the car, in which openings are pivoted two levers, D D. Thefree ends of these levers are provided with suitable footpieces at c a,upon which the operator stands to work the car.

Each lever D is by a pitman, p, connected with a crank, b, on a shaft,F, the two cranks on said shaft being placed at opposite directions, asshown in Fig. 3.

On the shaft F is secured a cog-wheel, I,

which meshes with a pinion, d, on one of the axles B, so that the powerfrom the levers will be transmitted to the axle and rotate the same soas to propel the car.

L represents a frame or brace attached to the car for the operator totake hold of.

The operator stands on the foot-pieces a a at the ends of the levers DD, and, by throwing his weight alternately on one foot and then onI theother, the levers are worked so as to rotate the shaft F, and by thegearing I d transmit such motion to the axle of the car. In other words,the weight of the operator propels the car or furnishes the propellingpower.

The mechanism is simple and not liable to get out of order.

I am aware that a hand-car has heretofore been propelled by hand-leversconnected with crank-axles, and I am also aware that velocipedes haveheretofore been propelled by means of treadles connected with acrank-axle, and I therefore lay no claim to such inventions.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A hand-car constructed with two central longitudinal compartments, andfurnished with the elongated levers D D, said levers being suitablyconnected to crank-shaft b, and adapted to be operated by one or morepersons standing thereon and alternately throwing their weight vupon thelevers, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER C. KEER. Witnesses:

ORLANDO H. BARKER, MARSHALL EOHELRERRY.

